Goliath was a Philistine warrior from the city of Gath who lived in the eleventh century BC. He challenged the Israelite army to battle (1 Samuel 17). The young David later defeated him by knocking him down with a stone from his sling and then cutting off his head.
Goliath was over 2.7 meters (nine feet) tall. He wore armor that weighed about 56.8 kilograms (125 pounds). He carried a spear that weighed 6.8 kilograms (15 pounds). After Goliath's death, his sword was kept at Nob and was later given to David (1 Samuel 21:9; 22:10).
Goliath might have been a descendant of the Anakim (see Joshua 11:22). The Anakim were known for their unusual height. Another possibility is that Goliath's extreme height was caused by a medical condition (a growth in the pituitary gland in his brain).
There is a difference in biblical accounts about who killed Goliath. 2 Samuel 21:19 says that Elhanan killed Goliath. However, 1 Chronicles 20:5 says that Elhanan actually killed Goliath's brother.